


The Complications of Family

by KallistoKrow



Series: Do I get inspiration for that? [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Affectionate Vax, Affectionate half-elves, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Stream (Critical Role), Slow Burn, Team as Family, Touch-Starved Percy, Underdark and Vasselheim arc, and I mean glacial guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-05-01 19:11:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14527251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KallistoKrow/pseuds/KallistoKrow
Summary: Percy finds himself facing a changes in the party's dynamics that he has not foreseen.





	1. Relations and Resurrections

**Author's Note:**

> Finally got back into writing after a bit of a hiatus. I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing at least a little every day so please be patient with me. As always, the characters in this fic belong their creators over at Critical role and G&S. I'm just exploring their brain spaces.

Humans can be slow learners. One might assume that having grown up in a large, if somewhat reserved, family; one would recognize the feeling of being a part of one. One might assume a clever person would recognize the way that they would bicker and tease and curve around each other. The subtle differences in way they respond to each other as opposed to the outside world.

Percy would like to think that he is a very clever person. Perhaps that makes it worse.

They had been given rooms in the finest establishment Emon had to offer. Apparently one of the perks of saving the royal family of a city included not being subjected to things like room fees, at least at present. It was probably a mark of how stretched thin that all were that they were barely taking advantage of the luxuries being provided to them.

Death could do that. Even death followed by a resurrection could do that, as it turned out.

Though they had each been given a room, along with a an entire common area on the landing, several of them had already chosen to bunk together. Grog couldn’t have been pried away from Pike with a crowbar, while Keyleth and Vex had claimed the room next door. He was unsure about the others. Tiberius had eventually mumbled something about getting some sleep while a still pale faced Scanlan had left the inn without a word over an hour ago. The twins had exchanged a look before following the gnome.

Percy had remained in the common area with Keyleth, joining her on the couch. Without a word she had reached over and taken his hand. Something tightened in Percy’s throat and he squeezed her slender fingers in his.

It seems that he has been an _exceptionally_ slow learner.

He had known that over the past months spent together, the group of once disparate individuals had woven together into a single cohesive unit. They had already been on their way to that when he had joined them. The clues had all been there. And he hadn’t seen it. None of them had.

None of them, until they had heard the tiny half choked gasp from Pike before the sound was abruptly cut off. Not until they had seen the spray of too dark arterial blood. So much blood. Too much for her small body.

The following minutes were both a hazy blur and awful in their sharp clarity. The sounds had a strange echoing quality. The howl that Grog had let out was like nothing a human could make. He thinks he might remember Vex’ahlia screaming Pike’s name. He might have heard Tiberius and Vax shouting. His own voice might have been part of the cacophony. He isn’t sure.

He remembers the way her body had looked cradled in Grog’s arms. Tiny in her armor. Her face stark and cold. Her dark hair making her look even more ghostly.

The temple was not the grandest that he’d ever seen. The Everlight’s faith was not as large in Emon as many other deities. It had been enough though. He’s not sure what they would have done if it hadn’t been. He’s not sure he wants to know. He suspects he knows what he’s capable of. He hopes the others are never driven to that point. He knows he will still love them if they are. That thought should be more terrifying then it feels right now.

None of that had been what had brought the revelation home to Percy however. No. It had been as Pike’s body lay on the altar laid forth for that very purpose. As the cleric of Sarenrae had chanted prayers that he barely heard. It had been as they had crowded together as close as they could to their fallen friend.

Percy had been at the end of the line, his right hand gripping Scanlan’s shoulder, his left held in a death grip by Vex’ahlia. A moment later he had felt Vax wrap an arm around his sister bringing his hand to rest on Percy’s back. His eyes had burned and he had drawn blood as he bit the inside of his mouth, refusing to cry. Prayers he hadn’t spoken in years weighed down his tongue. Prayers to the Dawnfather that had gone without answer when he had begged for his family. For his parents, for his siblings, for the pain to stop. He couldn’t bring himself to say them now.

He had glanced to the side, his eyes traveling across the faces of his friends. Keyleth stood with her head on Tiberius’ shoulder, her hand on Grog’s arm, tears trailing silently down her face. Grog had not taken his eyes off Pike since he had laid her across the altar, while Tiberius had followed the priest’s every movement with a narrowed, darting gaze.

 _I would die for these people,_ he found himself thinking. _I would give my life for Pike’s right now if I could. Any of us would._

Percy wanted to scream. He wanted to drag his heart out of his chest and demanded to know when the hell that had happened. When the hell had he given permission to let these people in. To give _himself_ to _them_ so utterly.

His breath had caught in his throat as his eyes had drifted down the line only to find Vax looking at him. The half-elf looked how Percy felt, his narrow face taught and pale. He felt the hand on his back trail comfortingly upward to squeeze gently at the base of his neck. Percy had closed his eyes as he turned back to the altar. Lips moving with words he couldn’t voice. _Give her back. You’ve taken everything I’ve cared about once. You can’t have her. You can’t have them. They’re mine._

 

Percy starts out of his reverie, his one hand tightening around Keyleth’s as the the door to the landing opened. His other hand had fallen automatically to the grip of his pepperbox. He relaxes slightly as he saw Vex enter with Scanlan, noting their missing party member.

“Where’s Vax?” Keyleth asked, giving voice to Percy’s thought.

“He’s outside,” Vex’ahlia’s voice was measured, as if choosing her words with care. “He wanted some time alone. He promised to stay close though.” Her hand moved to tap lightly at her ear. She affected calm very well, but Percy knew her well enough to see the worry in the tightness around her eyes.

Besides her, Scanlan seemed to be avoiding everyone’s gaze, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. His silence was more disconcerting then tears would have been.

“Why-“ Percy broke off as he heard the hoarseness of his own voice. He swallowed.

“Why don’t you three go up to bed? We’re supposed to see to council tomorrow. And Allura will be here early.”

“But-“ Keyleth began to protest beside him, but stopped as Scanlan finally broke his silence.

“What about you, Percy?”

Percy drew himself upright and forced his face into an expression that he hoped was reassuring.

“Someone needs to make sure Vax doesn’t wonder the streets all night. I’ll wait up for him, I should clean this before I head up anyway.” He said, gesturing to his gun.

The relief in Vex’ahlia’s face was plain to see and he suspected it was the only reason Scanlan and Keyleth made no further protest. However the red haired half-elf given him an uncertain look as she hugged him goodnight before moving to wrap an arm around Vex as she let the other woman upstairs. Scanlan paused to pat Percy on the knee before following them. A faint whiff of alcohol drifted to his nostrils as the gnome past but he seemed steady enough on his feet.

Percy stood, watching them go. Eventually he gave himself a shake and settled down by the light and warmth of the fire and layed out the cloths and oil for his gun.

The process was soothing in it’s familiarity, but the same familiarity meant that it occupied his mind far less then his hands.

His thoughts began to drift to a certain person apparently pacing the streets outside the inn. He’s still uncertain as to when he had begun to think of their strange group as a family but he’s certain he knows who’s fault it is, in _his_ case anyway. Vax’ildan had been the one who’d taken it upon himself to break a malnourished, skittish human out of a random cell after all. And had then proceeded to bring him back to his friends with a cheerful, “He followed me home guys, can we keep him?”

The others had at least enough good sense to keep a wary eye on him for a while, although they had come around after he had helped outfit the group with some better gear. Vex had seemed to appreciated having another ranged fighter in the group who didn’t rely on magic and the others had collectively shrugged and gone with it. There had been more pressing concerns with Grog still missing. The twins had a brief teasing argument (instigated by Scanlan) on whether this made Percy Vax’s Trinket. After realizing that they were referring to the large bear traveling with them, he hadn’t been sure if he should feel insulted or flattered at the comparison. He’d eventually settled on amused.

So he had found himself fitting into the group fairly quickly all things considered. Even so, there had been a period where Vax had been the one thing keeping him tethered to the group. He had been quieter back then. Uncertain of his position within the strange band who referred to themselves as 'The Shits', and still unused to dealing with the same people on a day to day basis. Vax had sensed his unease and had always seemed to be there to step in. Whether to cover for his silence or to open the conversation for him to speak. Then there had been the affection that half-elf was so free with. No one in Percy’s family could had been called particularly touchy-feely; whereas the twins seemed to thrive on it. At least with each other. That seemed to have been in the process of spreading out to the group when he had arrived but Percy had almost immediately found himself of the receiving end of small touches and gestures of affection.

It had been… disconcerting for a while. He’d had no real opportunity or inclination for physical intimacy of any sort since his family’s death. And yet Vax seemed to think nothing of winding an arm around Percy’s waist or pressing his back to his own during cold nights on watch duty. He hadn’t known how to respond when the other man had casually draped himself across Percy’s back to read over his shoulder. He had almost asked him to stop but… but it had also been… nice. After he had gotten over his initial shock and stopped freezing like a startled deer, he had found himself leaning into the touch. After that it had begun to all seem so natural. Sitting half curled by with Keyleth in the evenings. Watching Grog chase a cackling Vax around camp after a prank. Trinket grumbling at the commotion and settling down with whatever group was being the quietest.

Percy closed his eyes, his fingers barely pausing in there work. He thinks about the way Vax had looked at him in the temple. He wonders if the impulsive half-elf had come to the same realization Percy had, or if he had already known.

This was… not what he had wanted. He’s not quite sure what it was he had been searching for or expecting when he had joined the group, but a family was not it. There was no way for this not to end badly in some shape or form. He should be searching out there. Discovering what he could about the people who had taken his home. Who had murdered his real family. He should… what? Leave?

The very thought twists his stomach with something like nausea. He has to lay his gun on the table before he drops it as pain  and numbness lance through his chest and his wrists, causing his hands to shake.

Would leaving even accomplish anything? They would come after him, he knew. And even if they didn’t find him, he would be constantly wondering, keeping a ceaseless vigil for news of a mismatched group of adventurers. And if word did come to him that something had happened to them. How could he not go back to them? Furthermore how could he ever forgive himself for leaving them?

No. He had left his home behind once already. He would not do that again.

At that moment there was a creak as the door to the landing swung inward again and Percy jumped, half lunging for his half assembled pepperbox and cursing himself for leaving his sword upstairs in his room.

“Perce?”

Vax stood on the doorway, arms hanging at his sides, making no move but merely watching Percy’s minor panic.

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone would still be awake.” his voice sounds oddly flat to Percy and he pauses in gathering his tools together to study his friend’s face.

His dark hair had come loose from it’s normal braids during the battle and Vax had clearly never bothered to pull it back again. As a result the long straight strands hung around his face, emphasizing his angular features. Combined with the subtle tension in his posture and the hint of dark shadows under his eyes, the half-elf looked far more severe than usual.

“That’s alright,” he says carefully. “After Vex and Scanlan came back everyone went up to bed.”

“Ah,” Vax seems to give himself a slight shake and closes the door before drifting silently over to his table. A pale hand runs across it’s surface but he keeps a respectful distance from the gun. “Burning the midnight oil are we, Whitey?” the half-elf’s trailing hand reaches almost  absently to comb back a stand of hair that had fallen forward into the tinkerer’s face.

Percy becomes very aware of two things. One, he really is in desperate need of both a haircut and a shave. And two, Vax’s fingers feel really bloody nice against his scalp and he finds himself leaning involuntarily into the touch.

Before he has a chance to gather himself and pull away, Vax shifts to sit down next to him and tugs him into his side. Well, in for a penny he supposes. He hesitantly reaches out to wind an arm around the other man’s waist. He feels Vax’s breath stutter slightly and he winces, wondering if he’s done something wrong. It wouldn’t be surprising. Even if he had never protested the half-elf’s contact, he’s never particularly reciprocated it.

“I-”

Before he can form the apology Vax has pulled his head down with the hand still wound into his hair and presses a light kiss against his temple.

“Can we agree,” Vax’s breath is warm against his skin, “that we keep the resurrections to a minimum in future. You and Pike seem to be able to pull off the whole silver fox thing. But I’m not sure if the rest of us will be so lucky.”

Percy had to swallow down the lump that seems to have formed in his throat. “I believe I can agree with the first part but I’m personally rather curious to know what some of you would look like with a bit of gray.”

Vax snorts, drawing away only a short distance and Percy is relieved to see that the warmth return to the half-elf’s gray eyes. “You just want the chance to tease Scanlan when he goes into mourning for his ‘glorious locks’.”

 _I’ll be dead long before Scanlan or Keyleth see the first snows in their hair my friend,_ he thought. _It’s unlikely I’ll see them in you or Vex either._

Pushing away his morbid thoughts Percy smiles, “As if I wouldn’t have to wait in line behind you and Grog.”

Vax grins, unrepentant. Nodding towards the low table in front of them he asks, “Finishing up?”

Percy drags his gaze reluctantly over his mostly finished task and nods. He’s not looking forward to whatever his dreams have in store for him tonight after the days events.

“Want company?”

Percy’s head snaps up so fast he think he hears the ligaments in his neck creak in protest.

Vax shrugs. “Vex and I used to sneak into each other’s rooms if one of us was having a bad night, back when we lived in Syngorn”

This give his some pause. The twins only rarely talk about their time with their father and after the brief meeting the group had with him, Percy can’t blame them.

“I- used to do that too with-” his voice almost breaks but he forces himself to continue. “I used to do that too.”

He doesn’t meet Vax’s eyes, though he can feel them on him. Unasked questions hanging in the air.

Keeping his eyes trained straight ahead he finally answers, “I would appreciate the company, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

The half-elf gives a soft huff beside him. “If it was, I wouldn't have asked.”

He flicks the side of Percy’s face lightly, “Pompous.” Disentangling himself from the other man, Vax stands. “In that case, I’m going to go move my stuff. Come up when your ready.” And with a final touch to Percy’s shoulder he’s sweeps silently up the stairs.

Percy stares after him, shaking his head a little.

Later, as he’s packing his kit together a small hopeful part of him wonders if perhaps he’ll live to see the grays in the half-elf’s hair after all.


	2. Foundries and Foundations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy completes and epic-level stress build and Vox Machina returns home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. It was supposed to go up Friday but I got bulldozed by the last CR episode and was basically useless that day. So this got edited over the weekend.

The scents of a forge can be comforting in the way that they tend to be universal. A forge to a smith is like a port to a sailor. They all have there subtle differences, but they share more in their commonalities regardless of size or quality. The harsh smells of heated metal, bodies sweat soaked from heat and excursion, and the chard scent of burning where all part and parcel to every foundry Percival has ever worked in.

This particular forge is one that Percy has been renting time at for the past few months. It’s located down a side street off of Abdar’s Promenade in the eastern side of Emon. The halfling who owned the place was an older gentleman who was grateful for the extra gold. He was pleasant enough, but Percy rarely saw him and honestly it was how he preferred it. It saved him the trouble of trying to explain what it was he was working on. Or rather,  _ not _ explaining it.

The construction of the the gun had taken so long because he was essentially having to work from scratch. The design was very different from his original List and could most certainly not be fired one handed. Indeed, the kickback when he had first fired the weapon had left a bruise on his shoulder. 

So he had made some adjustments and began getting used to the feel of the weapon. By now, the last few touches he was adding were for their aesthetic value rather than any practical application. And possibly to bide time. 

Percy sighed. Over the past few days it had been getting increasingly difficult to justify his continued used of both the forge and his room at the Green Bow a few blocks away.

At first it had been a matter of necessity. Vox Machina, as they called themselves now, had scattered after the construction of their keep had begun. Keyleth had needed to continue her Aramente with the secretive people of Terrah. Pike had needed her time alone at sea. They had all had things that needed to be done. Or in some cases had just need get their heads back on straight after Pike’s death, he suspected.

Percy hadn’t had a real reason to leave the city. He had just needed a forge. He had needed to make something . The act of creation had been the only thing that could truly drive the ghosts from his mind. When the gun was finally completed and Percy had fired off his first clean shot into the center of his target it seemed as if he could breathe for the first time on months. Then… he’d had time to think.

Yes, for a while it had been only logical to keep a room near the smiths. But then the completion of the keep had drawn closer and the others had yet to arrive. 

Even before the keep had been fully finished, he could have moved in. The living quarters had been finished for a week after all. And yet it had seemed wrong somehow. Wrong to enter the place that would become their home without any of his friends. And if they did not return? There was always that unpleasant, lingering thought. Well, they had already given him far more than he had ever expected to have again. Certainly far more than he deserves.

Percy grimace as he finished buffing the final section of the filigree work. This was getting frankly ridiculous. There was sentimental and then there was… whatever this was.

Someone cleared their throat from the direction of the wide door that led to the street. “While I admire a man with work ethic, if you polish that thing anymore you’ll be able to use it as a mirror, darling.”

The grin was spreading across Percy’s face before he could even turn around.

Vex’ahlia stood, her arms crossed, eyes sparkling with amusement. A pace back from her Vax was glancing around the interior, absently spinning a knife in one hand before laying it back down on the table he’d found it on and meeting his gaze. 

“So this is where you’ve been holed up. You know we had to actually ask people where you where.” His voice is teasingly offended.

“I’m sure I couldn’t have been that hard to find. Especially since you could have just let me know you were back.” He touches his earring pointedly. He remembers them giving each other the piercings back when Tiberius had first made them. Vex and Scanlan already had piercings and had made bets on who would cry. Luckily, they had made out with most of their dignity intact for once, though he remembers Vax and Keyleth wincing especially. He’d found himself wondering if it was true about elven ears being sensitive.

“And where would the fun have been in that?” Vex answers with a glint in her eye that is worryingly mirrored in her twin.

Percy eyes them both warily. “What have you two-”

They’ve both pounced before he can finish. 

There’s a possibility that he could have moved to avoid at least one of them. Quick as they’d been, they had broadcast their movements to him far more they ever would an actual enemy. For that he’s grateful. And though his pulse definitely kicks up a notch, he doesn’t feel any true fear. He does feels someone’s foot tangle with his ankles, throwing him off balance as they both crash into him from either side. One hand moves quickly to cushion his head a bit before all three of them hit the ground.

Just for a moment he’s no longer in Emon. He’s seventeen and chasing a giggling Oliver and Whitney around his workshop in Whitestone while yelling at them to stay out of his things. Then he’s jolting back to himself as someone’s elbow jams into his stomach and his vision is briefly obscured by a cascade of dark brown hair.

There's laughter in his ears and and his arms come up almost automatically around the two half-elves. The hair in his face shifts to reveal an altogether too smug looking Vax.

“Caught you.”

Percy groans and shoots Vex’ahlia a look. “Really? Vax I expect this from, but you too?”

Vax makes an indignant noise and Percy feels himself being poked in the ribs again.

Vex shrugs, and raises an eyebrow. “We thought you would be due for a reminder, dear.”

Ignoring his questioning look she disentangle herself from the two of them and stands, straightening her cloak a meticulously as she does so.

“A reminder of what?” he asks.

She is already moving however and Percy can now hear the rumbling noises coming from outside that signal Trinket’s growing impatience at being left on the street. 

He sighs and glances down at Vax, who seems to have gotten comfortable draped half over Percy and is watching the pair with fond expression. 

“Do I even want to know?” he inquires mildly, not really expecting an answer at this point. 

Vax cocks his head to the side in a way that reminds Percy of a bird. His eyes flick briefly to his sister’s retreating back as she croons to her bear, reassuring him that no he doesn’t want to come into the crowded sticky cave.  


“We weren't certain everyone would come back.” the half-elf says carefully. “You and Keyleth seemed particularly… focused.”

Percy clears his throat awkwardly in the silence that follows. Vax’s expression has become unreadable even if his words are stilted. It seems that Percy is not the only one who has become unreasonably sentimental in the past few months. 

“Well, as you can see I never left.”

“Good.” Vax nods, his face still oddly neutral. He sits up, his gaze flitting between his face and the sounds of Vex and Trinket. “It was her idea to turn finding you into a game, you know. We were disappointed not to find you at Grayskull.”

Percy winces, guilt twisting low in his gut. “It wasn’t my intention to worry you.”

Vax simply nodded before helping the human to his feet. His hand remained on Percy’s wrist though and he finds himself being pulled back against the half-elf. Percy let his head fall forward against the man’s neck as he hugged him back. The scent of leather and the earthier smells of the woods with just the hint of bear that clung to the rogue washed over Percy and for a moment he allowed himself the indulgence of pressing his face into Vax’s hair, ignoring the way it causes his glasses to dig into his skin. 

“I’m glad you’re back.”

“So are we.” Vax arms tightened slightly before he steps back. “Enough dawdling. We can stop and pay your tab at the Green Bow on the way home.”

“I suppose that’s how you found me?” he asked, trying to ignore how his mind catches on the word “home” like a missed step on a set of stairs.

“Yes.” The half-elf is still studying Percy’s face as if he’s trying to relearn it. “Come on, let’s find dinner and wait for the the others.”

 

They did not have to wait for long. They returned in ones and twos over a span of the next week and a half. The first to return was Scanlan. Vex actually found him in the in the dining chamber the morning after the three of them arrived. He had apparently been playing at a tavern near to where Percy had been working and had seen them pass by. The gnome avoided answering questions about how long he had been in town and Percy wonders if he had been moping around outside of Grayskull in the same way he himself had been.

Several days later Grog and Pike arrived, having found each other first on on the docks. Pike’s skin was heavily tanned and her hands calloused from her time aboard the Broken Howl but she looked somehow steadier and more confident then when Percy had seen her last. 

Tiberius came sidling in that same evening at dinner, laden with supplies for the laboratory which he and Scanlan sorted through that night. 

Keyleth was the last to arrive. There was a tiredness in her face that had only partially receded in her time away and she only spoke in vaugeries of her time with the earth Ashari. She brightened, however, when she saw that Pike had already begun work on the little garden in the chapel area.

Vex’ahlia immediately took control of the management of the household, including hiring staff, with an efficiency that was equal parts fascinating and terrifying to watch. Percy offered his opinion when asked but was mostly content with setting up his workshop in the basement. And in any case, the half-elf seemed to thrive in her new responsibilities.

A few days later as they settled down for dinner, the bell at the gate had tolled loudly, announcing the arrival of Arcanist Allura Vysoren. She seemed genuinely happy to see them settling in but Percy thought he saw a touch of sadness in her eyes as she watched them. As the meal drew to a close, Allura lifted her face to look at them.

“Forgive me. I had not wished to bring a pall to your home, especially so soon. But I find myself in need of a favor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit short but I wanted to finish setting some things up in Percy's head before I got into the main canon. I will be alternating POVs from here on out but I will probably still favor Percy's perspective. Thank you so much for all the feedback. I hope everyone continues to enjoy this disjointed ride I've come up with.  
> Come yell at me about Critical Role on tumblr @kallistothekrow


	3. Trades and Taverns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to some recognizable canon and Vax takes the wheel in Kraghammer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long wait. Most of it can be blamed on me trying to figure out a structure for this fic and then throwing my hand up in the air in defeat. Let me know if this chapter feels a bit disjointed. We've gotten to the stream timeline and I've shifted into Vax's pov. This chapter is mostly me trying to explore his headspace for the first time.

(Vax)

It was a bit of an aberration as far as these things usually went, Vax found himself reflecting. Being able to enter a city or establishment of any repute without having to bullshit their way in was not something that was partially common for their odd little band. They had been denied entrance to this particular city once before in their travels after all. He supposed it was something he would eventually get used to, but he couldn’t help but feel almost relieved that the city guard still gave them shit upon entering Kraghammer. He suspects he’s the only one though.

The city is quite unlike anything he’s ever seen before. An enormous open central area branched off into a myriad of labyrinthine tunnels and passageways. Each more intricately carved and shaped then the last and yet all fused seamlessly together as if they were the work of a single dedicated sculptor. Like many dwarven strongholds it was a relatively insular community. Trading with the outside world but still holding it’s true power confined within. They were not dissimilar to elves in that way, though he doubted that either race would have thanked him for  _ that  _  comparison. 

A few feet ahead of him, Grog let out an exclamation of enthusiasm as they reached the entrance of the Iron Hearth tavern. The scent of smoke, alcohol, and rotting wood was heavy in the air and as he glanced around he could immediately understood the goliath’s visible glee at their surroundings. They had scarcely entered the place before the large man was hailed by a nearby group of dwarves.

Vax rolled his eyes. Well, might as well get in a good first impression and the guards had already shown that coin talked considerably louder then dwarvish in Kraghammer.

He proceeded to slap down a bag of gold upon the bar, ignoring the indignant yelp from his twin that immediately followed. “Ladies and gentlemen! We are traveling from far away. We’ve just arrived from Emon. We are fascinated to see your underground city and to celebrate the occasion, I would like to buy every dwarf in here a round. Bartender!”

All music and conversation came to an abrupt clamoring halt. Vax grinned as he found himself meeting the confused gaze of a rather severe looking dwarven women who seemed to be running the bar.

“Well it’s about time someone around here had some generosity!” she barked, her eye flicking to several other tables in the crowded tavern in what seemed to be rather pointed way. “Drinks all around on this half-elven gentleman!”

A drunken but enthusiastic cheer followed this pronouncement and the next few minutes became a loud scramble to the bar during which a large cask was manhandled over to Grog and ale flowed. Scanlan proceed to take over charming the owner with Vex’ahlia watching the transaction closely. Vax slid back as the rest of Vox Machina crowded forward to listen, finding himself pressed between Vex and Percy who began to inquire about their missing paladin.

 

After getting as much information as they could, Grog and Scanlan wandered over towards a an unconscious dwarf slumped across the bar while the rest of them moved to find seating. Vax found himself drifting in and out of the conversation as his gaze wandered over his friends. 

Things had changed drastically in the group in the past few months and he still was unsure of how exactly he felt about it. All the weird little quirks and habits that had initially grated had gradually become routine or had otherwise adjusted themselves until they became just another part of life. The sheer familiarity of it was an odd adjustment to make after so long of relying on no one but Vex. Now he found himself automatically looking to the others for assistance as often as he did to his twin.

There had been ties in the beginning of course. Keyleth and Tiberius had already been friends and Grog and Scanlan had begun to rely on each other already when Pike had arrived and easily cemented herself into the group. Percy had been awkwardly dragged into their strange dynamic not long afterward and things had just… fit after that.

He had found himself caring for this this group of weirdos far more then he had ever thought he would and he'd watched as Vex had fairly blossomed in a way he had never seen. It had been good. It had been really good. And then they had lost Pike. And afterward it had been just the two of them again for six months. Just as it had always been. Just as he had always assumed it was meant to be.

And it had felt wrong.

The evenings were suddenly too quiet. He would sometimes see Vex open her mouth to say something, only to close it again with a frustrated expression and he knew that she had been about to address someone who was not there. Who  _ should _ be there. He knew because he had found himself doing it more then once. Then, one morning, he had awoken to find Vex furiously packing. When she saw that he was awake she had simply said “we’re going back today.” 

There had been something defiant in her gray eyes that he was not used to seeing directed at him. Without saying a word, he had nodded and begun gathering his things. He had wondered how long it would have been before he'd have made the decision if she hadn’t. Probably not long. He had wanted them  _ back _ . He wanted to hear Scanlan’s bawdy songs in the evenings as they ate. He wanted to draw something stupid on Grog’s face as he slept. He wanted to watch Tiberius and Keyleth stumble their way through conversations and Pike drink idiots twice her size under the table. He wanted to see the way Percy’s eyes lit up and softened whenever he watched the group and thought no one was looking.

Percy had been an unexpected addition. One that Vax would freely admit was his fault and one he’d had no reason to regret to his own surprise. Even in the bruised, muddy, and dejected state Vax had found the human in, he’d been able to spot that the bugger was a noble within the first three sentences out of his mouth. Admittedly one of those sentences had been his ridiculously long name so it was up for debate how much credit he could take for that analysis. If he had been told then that this posh, quiet nerd was going to be one of the people he would miss the most, he probably would have laughed.

He can’t deny however, the relief that had felt when he and Vex had walked into the dingy forge that Percy had apparently holed up in while they were gone.

His mind came back into the conversation just as the older muscle bound dwarf that Grog had been speaking to began to make his way over to their table with an irritated expression, seemingly focused on Keyleth and Vex. 

“Why is he coming towards us?” Keyleth hissed.

Behind the dwarf, Grog seemed to trying to mouth something at the two of them while Scanlan was making gestures towards his chest.

“Steady as she goes, ladies,” Vax mumbled.

Tiberius’ hand began drifting towards his earring with a nervous expression and Percy visibly endeavored not to choke on his drink as Keyleth attempted to stroke the dwarf's bicep. 

Vax grinned. This was going to be fun.

 

* * *

 

 

A transaction of dragon’s blood and wine, followed by a semi successful reconnaissance mission later and Vax is strolling back into the Iron Hearth, chuckling to himself. Glancing around he spots Keyleth and Percy huddled together at the same table as before. There is a small stack of papers off to one side and as he watches, the gunslinger passes one off to the red haired druid and reaches for another. The the rest of Vox Machina seemed to have wandered off.

“How’s the calligraphy coming?” he asks, sliding into an empty seat across from the pair. 

“Comment cards,” Percy corrects him, without looking up. “You’re all going to have comment cards that you’ll be expected to to fill out.”

“Here, look!” Keyleth passes him a sheet from the finished stacks along with one of her pens.

Her expression is so bright that Vax bites his tongue on the sarcastic comment he’d been about to toss back at the human and looks down at the slim sheet. To be fair, Percy’s elegant formal handwriting combined with the leaf-like scrollwork in Keyleth’s hand do make for a rather pretty combination. He sighs and reaches for the pen.

Where’s Vex?” Keyleth asks. “I thought you were both going to find out where the Grayspines live?”

“She found herself some entertainment for the evening.” he answers wryly. “And we  _ did _ found the place. The guards are a bunch of right paranoid pricks though. Probably better to go with the-”

At that moment the door to the tavern burst open to reveal a visibly seething dragonborn.

“-diplomacy route.” he finished.

Twin curls of smoke flow out from his nostrils as Tiberius passes their table headed for the stairs. 

“Well, we certainly seem to be off to a good start.” Percy comments dryly as he slides his final sheet to the concerned looking druid next to him. He winces as he watches the sorcerer's tail disappear upstairs and Vax remembers that the two were supposed to have been roommates while they were here.  

“I don’t mind bunking up,” he offers. “Or… you can probably have a room to yourself if you want. I doubt Scanlan or Grog will be joining us anytime soon.”

“Yes, but I’d rather not be there when they  _ do _ come stumbling in. I have no doubt we’ll be hearing plenty in the morning.”

Vax shrugs. “Suit yourself. My door’s open.”

He doesn’t push it any further, not like he might have if they were in private anyway. Affection, Vax had learned early on, is a complicated thing with Percy. When they had first found the young man in the cell, he had been a strange mix of polite formality and beaten animal. Vax had been reminded of a falcon that had gotten netted in the small village that he and Vex had grown up in with their mother. The creature had been mad eyed and frightened, but no less willing to go down fighting. There had been something of that wild bird in Percy’s ice blue eyes as Vax had carefully unlocked the manacles on his bruised wrists.

At first it had seemed that touch of any sort was unwelcome. Politely tolerated but nothing more. The young man had tensed even under the slightest brush, and for the most part everyone had taken the hint. After a while though, Vax had noticed that if the touch lingered for any length of time after, Percy would start to press back into it like a hesitant cat. 

It had been a puzzle, figuring out when to push and when it made the man genuinely uncomfortable. Vax isn’t sure what had made him stick with it at first. Curiously or sheer stubbornness perhaps. But it had seemed important somehow. And it had felt so satisfying when Percy responded, even initiating it on a few occasions, like when he had first learned to disable traps back in Syngorn.

It was different, less easy and less instinctual then with Vex’ahlia, or even with some of the others. Something that had to be thought out. But somehow that had just made it more rewarding. And it had gotten easier lately. Ever since Grayskull’s construction, Percy had been more open with his thoughts and to some degree his affection. 

Carefully finishing his comment card, he slid it back across the table to the Ashari and reached above his head to stretch. “Anyway, I believe I’m done for the evening or,” he glance around at the fire and burning red stones that bathed Kraghammer  perpetually in red. “Whatever time it actually is. I’m going to go find a bed.”

He got a muffled yawn and a goodnight from Keyleth and an absent minded nod from Percy. Doubtless they’d be heading up soon as well. They were all still tired and rattled from the encounter with the members of Grog’s goliath band that morning and they’d been on the road for a while. Vax for one was starting to feel the cuts and bruises of the journey.

He headed upstairs after grabbing a key from Adra the owner. His room turned out to be on the end of the hall across from Pike’s whom he briefly checked on. The cleric had been in a distant, quit mood the entire evening and when pressed she shrugged and insisted she was merely tired. He went back to his own room and changed out of his light, leather armor, unable to quite shake his worry and was relieved when about ten minutes later there was a knock on his door.

He opened it to reveal a sheepish looking Percy, with his pack and new gun slung over his shoulder. 

“Tibsy still grumbling?”

“No,” Percy replied. “But he _ is  _ snoring and, if your offer is still open, you don’t.”

Vax snorted and stepped aside to let him in. “With as much noise as you make in a fight, Tibs’ snoring should be positively dulcet.”

Percy sighed but stepped in to the narrow room. The place had obviously been constructed with dwarves in mind and Vax pitied Grog whenever he got back. Closing the door he looked up to see Percy fighting a wince as he tugged his coat off and hung it over a chair.

“Are you alright, my friend?”

“Just bruised. I’ll be alright by morning.”

“Hmm.” Vax ran a hand over the human’s back and felt him flinch just as his fingers found his shoulder blade. “You should have gotten Pike to take a look at this.”

“I’m fine, Vax.”

Vax sighed. “ You’ll be saying that right up until the moment where we’re dragging your unconscious ass off the battlefield.”

“As if you’re any better, but that’s a fair assessment.”

He shakes his head. “Point. Come on. Bed.”

He slid in under the blankets, keeping his back turned to give the other man privacy as he changed. He had seen Percy without a shirt more then once, traveling as they did didn’t leave much room for modesty, but he hoped to avoid making this uncomfortable if he could help it. They had done this once before, twice if you counted the time they had both nearly dozed off on watch duty. It was comforting to both of them not to have to sleep alone and he wanted to keep it that way. 

The bed dipped as Percy lay down next to him. They had to huddle in close for them both to fit and Vax suspected that the beds were probably a bit short for Percy’s tall frame but neither of them complained. He was warm an tired and he barely registered his own mumbled “goodnight” as his eyes closed and he slept.

He awoke briefly to sounds coming from next door that marked Scanlan and Grog’s return. There was a faint grumbling noise at his back as Percy seemed to be making an attempt at burrowing _ under _ the pillows and into Vax’s back. A faint smile tugged at his lips before he settled back in to sleep.


	4. Dark Delvings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy really hates the underdark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Between work and plotting some character stuff with a friend of mine I'm a bit behind on what I'd planned for this fic. But I have a good idea of what I want to do moving forward. Plus writing is a good way of ignoring what just happened in campaign 2 :(
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who left so many wonderful comments on the last chapter. I'm overwhelmed guys and I'm so glad you seem to think I'm doing our disaster goths justice.

(Percy POV)

There were not many places that Vox Machina had visited that could be said to have no redeeming qualities. Even Stillben, shithole that it was, had some nostalgic value being where they had all met and their collective fortunes had started to change for the better. Percy is starting to think that the Underdark might just make that short and dubiously distinguished list.

He is perhaps somewhat biased in his judgment of the place. He is after all one of the few members of the party who lacks some form of dark vision. And without the light that Tiberius had been providing he would be completely blind and useless. Both of which are things that he would prefer to avoid at all costs.And the of course there had been the myriad of unpleasant creatures that made their home in the Underdark. The umber hulks, the ilithids, the duergar, the stitch monster, and the damn brain fucker had just been a lovely seasoning to this whole dish.

He could _almost_ console himself with the knowledge that he isn’t the only one that this place is starting to unnerve. Almost. If not for the fact that the other’s worrying just serves to drive home how utterly unwelcoming the place is.

Keyleth has been wound as tight as a spring the whole time they’ve been down here and he can’t help but wonder if one of them should have pulled her aside before. There has been something off about her manner for a while now, and he suspects that he’s not the only member of Vox Machina currently kicking themselves for not working out what was wrong sooner. Tiberius is alternately fascinated and spooked, which has been a nearvewracking combination for everyone. They currently have an additional two party members that have only added to the general drama inherent in a group as large as theirs. This is ignoring the fact that one of those two people is a creature that happens to consider brains to be the finest cuisine. And as for the others…  

Percy’s head starts to throb, just thinking about them.

Between the Vax and Grog, he’s starting to wonder if it’s possible have a heart attack at his age. He has the white hair already so at least he doesn’t have to worry about that.

It isn’t that he’s unused to the twins scouting ahead or the goliath catching sight of something shiny and going for it. He’s no longer even particularly surprised by Grog and Vax’s seemingly complete disregard for their personal safety. He likes what had become his usual spot in the rear  where he can watch their backs. Normally with Vex nearby with her bow.

No, that’s not his problem. His problem is the fact that if Tiberius were knocked unconscious or if a torch where to go out, _he can’t fucking see. He can’t be fucking sure that what he’s aiming at isn’t a one of his family._ And this thought niggles at the back of his mind and refuses to go away. There’s also the fact that these tendencies with Grog and Vax seem more quick to bite them all in the ass then usual down here.

Grog had been rendered catatonic for the entirety of their first night down here, though luckily Keyleth has been able to revive him the next morning. Vax had nearly fallen to his death after being hit by a similar attack and Percy feels no regret whatsoever at the petty enjoyment he had gotten after taking a few potshots at the tentacled bastard who’d done it. That enjoyment was a distant memory now however. Right now they’re all running for their lives in the middle of a duergar fortress.

Grog is gone _again._ Grabbed by the duergar queen as she teleported out of the great hall. He and Vax were half carrying, half dragging a stone Tiberius while Clarota swooped ahead with Kima under his arm. All the while, molten lava floods the hallway at their heels.

He can feel Keyleth at his back, water and wind swirling out from her hands as she tries to buy them time by cooling the magma. Sweat drips down his face, making his glasses slide down his nose but he doesn’t dare stop to shove them back. Pike and Scanlan had already been scorched as they all raced down the halls to the exit.

Finally reaching the room they had snuck in by, they were forced to crowd in together and Percy grunted as the full weight of Tiberius’ stone form was dropped into his arms as Vax let go and shoved his way to the front to unlock the door. The half-elf nearly tripped forward into it as the stone began to warp and split just as he reached it.

“Sorry, Vax!” Keyleth’s voice rang out loud in the confined space. Her face pale and strained from trying to maintaining so many spells.

It must have been too much, because in that moment lava began spilling into the room from above. Swearing and yelps of pain filled the air as they all tried to cram out the opening the druid had made in the door. There was a momentary relief as Vax lunged back to grab Tiberius’ feet and they began hauling him out and for a second Percy thought they were out.

Then the ceiling came down in a rush of molten fire.

Vex and Scanlan leaped to safety just in time as the raw heat washed over the rest of them as they dragged themselves out. But they were-

A cry of pain, abruptly broken off, makes his head snap around. The lava had splashed up around Vax’s feet and he staggers, goes abruptly limp, and starts to fall backwards. Only to be grabbed at the last second by Pike. The cleric grunts with effort, her strong but small frame struggling with Vax’s much taller body.

Vex leaps forward to grab for her twin, Percy right at her heels, but before either of them can reach them there is a loud rumbling roar as Trinket’s enormous paw comes into view and snags the back of Vax’s armor and hauls him back the rest of the way.

“Brother!” Vex scrambles for her twin, her fingers immediately searching for the pulse in his wrist. Vax doesn’t answer, even has she half drags him into her lap.

Percy drops Tiberius and kneels down on his other side. Heart pounding, he thrusts his hand into his bag and yanks out the first glass vial he finds. Luckily it’s the healing potion he was looking for and he carefully grabs Vax’s chin so he can poor the potion into his mouth. Tipping his head to swallow, rather than choke. He briefly meets Vex’ahlia’s anxious gaze. She’s as pale as Percy has ever seen her and he reaches to grip her free hand in his. Her fingers tighten as they watch Vax’s throat work, and for a moment he goes still again before a faint, pained gasp falls from his lips.

“Here!”

Pike had followed them and was now kneeling by Vax’s feet and carefully unlacing his boots, her hands glowing with holy energy.

Percy has to swallow down bile as his friend’s foot is revealed. While the magic of the boots had probably saved it the limb, it's badly burned and has an unnatural, twisted appearance. He hastily turns back to Vax’s face as he feels him jerk sharply when Pike touches his foot.

Vex is running a hand gently through her twin’s dark hair. Her voice so low that Percy only catches a couple of words, but he recognizes to soothing tone she uses.

Vax’s eyes have opened and his jaw is visibly clenched against the pain. Unsure of what else to do, Percy reaches out to unclench Vax’s fisted hands. Seeing as he does so the white lines where his fingernails have dug into the skin. He slides one hand between both of the half-elf’s and gives a slight squeeze.

“That’s- that’s all I have now.” Pike’s voice is tired but steady. “I’ll need to work on it more tomorrow but you should be able to walk at least.”

Percy glances back warily to see to his relief that it does actually resemble a human foot again. Badly scarred and blistered, the smallest toe more of a nub than anything else, but less horrifying looking then before at least.

He heard Vax give a mumbled thanks to their cleric before the sound of his name made him turn back to the half-elf.

“Percy.”

“Hmm?”

“Percy,” Vax gave a soft laugh that bordered right on the edge of hysteria. “I need Bad News to be my other foot now.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Pike gave an incredulous laugh and Vex made a noise of disgust and proceeded to shove her still snickering twin off her lap and into Percy.

Shaking her head, Pike stood to follow her, pausing only briefly to give his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

“Really?” Percy mumbled. “We’re doing _this_?” He attempted to make his voice disapproving but relief softened his tone as his heart stuttered into something resembling a normal rhythm. He can feel the slick slide of sweat where Vax’s forehead presses against the hollow of his throat. The harsh scent of of it would be more unpleasant if it wasn’t so grounding in that moment.

“Can you walk?” He keeps his voice low as Vex’ahlia moves to scout ahead and the others attempt to tie Kima’s stone form to Trinket.

Vax gives a brief nod that’s a little too jerky for Percy’s liking but he makes no comment and moves to help the half-elf to his feet.

True to his word, Vax stealths along easily enough as they make their way to a half concealed overhang. Baring only a few instances were his injured foot skids on the uneven ground, his balance still a bit askew as they carry Tiberius.

Percy keeps close to his side.

 

* * *

 

By the time they've finally settled down to camp for the night they’re all exhausted. Poor Keyleth is swaying on her feet and Percy finds himself hovering close to her side, barely quelling the urge to reach for her and pull her into a hug. He can tell that she’s reaching the point where she’s either going to start shouting or withdraw in on herself. Vax has noticed too, and keeps shooting concerned glances in their direction from his post by his sister. Pike had been able to restore Tiberius and Kima but Percy almost wished she had waited. The tension between Keyleth and Kima was still palpable in the camp.

The decision to wait until morning to track Grog, while the most sensible course of action, had done nothing to ease the sense of anxiety the pervaded the group. Vex’ahlia’s shoulders are tense with the added responsibility of maintaining the link with which she can track the goliath, and Scanlan’s jokes about leaving their companion behind strike with sharper edges then they would normally have done.

Later that night, Percy feels like that he’s barley closed his eyes when he’s being shaken awake by Kima’s small but sturdy arm. His turn on watch duty, evidently. Sitting up groggily, he squints into the darkness of the cavern as he fumbles for his glasses.

“You might want to check on your friend.”

He glances up at Kima. She has one hand wrapped around the hilt of her borrowed blade and her eyes are still alert despite the dark shadows under her eyes. Her hair is down though; and something about the strait strands hanging in her face soften her features. The halfling nods towards something behind him and he looks around to see Vax seated on his own at the edge of camp. Near to where Keyleth had placed the illusionary lava flow. Last Percy had seen him he had been curled up next to Trinket but at some point in the night the bear had moved to cuddle with Keyleth in her Minxie form and the half-elf  has evidently wandered to his current position.

“Thank you, Lady Kima,” he managed, barely able to stifle a yawn. All of their sleep patterns were confused from spending so much time underground.

The paladin nodded without answering and made her way into a back corner with her back to a wall. Percy wondered if she would even bother trying to sleep.

Buckling his belt with his pepperbox and sword hanging against his hips, he makes his way quietly over to Vax. The man is seated in a cross legged position with one of his boots off, absently tracing the mottled pattern of scars on the foot as he gazes fixedly into the darkness.

“If you keep picking at that, I _will_ have to make you clockwork foot.”

The smirk that spreads slowly across the half-elf’s lips is more comforting than it should be. “Is that supposed to be a discouragement, Percival?”

Percy settled down beside him, knees knocking lightly against the rogue’s. “Oh, I’ll still do it-”

“Because you’re a gentleman?” The smirk had widened into a full blown grin now.

“Because I’m a gentleman.” he agreed dryly. “Are you still in pain?”

Vax grimaces at him, “I’m fine.”

“So, yes.”

“You’re starting to sound a lot like Vex now. You know that, yes?”

Percy remained silent, holding Vax’s eye and waiting.

Vax sighed and looked away. “No, it doesn’t hurt anymore. It just feels- I don’t know - off.” His eyes dart briefly to the molten lava flows curling around the city in the distance. “I know Vax has studied this place but everything down here just feels wrong.”

“I suppose the giant stitch monsters were a bit of a hint.” Percy commented blandly.

There was no response and he looked over at Vax to see that his eyes have lowered to his injured limb once more.

Hesitantly, Percy slid his hand over Vax’s and gently tugged it off his foot. “Pike’s already said that she’ll be able to heal you after a few more sessions.” he said carefully.

“I don’t know if we’ll have enough time for that.” Vax murmured.

“We’ll _make_ time for that.” Percy insisted.

“We’re not losing Grog again just because I can’t-”

“We’re _not_ losing _anyone._ ” Percy snapped. He saw Vax look up, an eyebrow raised at his sharper tone. Percy sighs. “I hate it down here too.”

For some reason that seems to coax small smile out of the other man. The faint tension that framed the half-elf’s body did not entirely leave but something softened in his eyes. “It is a bit of shithole, isn’t it?” Tugging his boot back on, Vax shuffle over awkwardly so that his shoulder rested next to Percy’s.

“A bit.” Percy mutters. “Just - don’t do anything-”

“Stupid?”

“I was going to be generous and go with reckless,” Percy replied dryly. “But since you brought it up-”

He was interrupted by a light swat to the back of his head. “Prick.”

Percy felt his eyes close briefly as Vax’s fingers ran lightly back down his scalp. “We just need to be careful. We’ve fought demons and a dragon before, this isn’t-”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself now?” Vax asked, hand pressing gently into the tendons of his neck.

Percy groaned. “Both?”

“Fair enough.” Vax rested his head on Percy’s shoulder, looking out into shifting shapes of flames and shadows.

“Nothing stupid.”

“I’ll try.”


	5. Plans and other variables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vax is a disaster, but we knew that already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I guess we find out if I'm actually capable of writing an acceptable fight scene. If you've got tips, please send them my way.

(Vax pov)

 

Vax’ildan Vessar would like to think that he is a man who tries to keep his promises. Unfortunately, life -and especially the life Vox Machina leads- tends to get in the way.

Honestly, Vax feels that he should be commended on how well he’s done so far, considering the recent state of their surroundings. _He_ hadn’t been the one who went haring off after a random campfire after all.

He _had_ snuck off on his own to scout the cells of the duergar palace, but that was his _job_. He was _supposed_  the be the one who stealthed ahead. He was _supposed_ to be the one who dug through the random shinies that they found in suspicious corners. That they happened to be absurdly well trapped, or cursed, or guarded by winged monstrosities was hardly _his_ fault and… Percy was going to fucking kill him when they got home.

And Keyleth would probably be in the mood to help him after he had slapped her in the face to bring her out of her trance earlier.

He _could_ say that at least the giant wasn't his fault however.

 

Currently he and Vex were pressed behind one of the weird fungal trees that seemed to be the main vegetation of the illithid’s strange island while Scanlan somehow had managed to attract the things attention despite being invisible.

“Don’t kill it!”

The gnome’s voice hissed out far too loudly for comfort from somewhere to his left. Vax held back a groan and met Vex’s eyes as he loosened two of his daggers from their scabbards. She jerked her head towards the nest of furs by a deep pit in the ground that seemed to make up the creature’s bed.

He grimaced but nodded and they both proceed to slink forwards and dive underneath. It was a move that they instantly regretted as the smell hit them. The scent of  rotting meat mixed with something that was probably excrement kicked his gag reflex into overdrive and he immediately started trying not to vomit.

Suffice it to say he was _not_ successful. And the resulting choking noises caused the giant to spin in their direction and leap down into the hollow they were hidden in.

 _Well shit_.

Just as the enormous hand began to peel back the furs that they were huddled under, it froze and slowly turned its head. Hardly daring to breath, one hand drawn back and ready to fling his first dagger into the thing’s eye, he allowed himself to follow it’s gaze.

Scanlan’s invisibility spell had dropped and he stood in the open with one hand outstretched, eyes wide. For several seconds no one moved. All of them seemingly frozen in a strange tableau.

Then the gnomes voice broke the tense silence. “Hay!” Umm… go for a walk!” And pointed vaguely off to the side.

The giants huge deformed brow wrinkled in seeming confusion but slowly nodded. “Okay.” it said it's voice low and croaky, and proceeded to climb awkwardly back up the embankment.

Beside him, Vex made a hesitant thumbs up motion and half whispered, half shouted “Maybe call him back here and we can tie him up.”

At which point Scanlan began to warily start wrangling the giant while Vex started untangling their infinite twine. Vax peeled himself out of the disgusting rags and started dry heaving against one of the mushrooms and trying to move out of the giant’s sightline just in case.

This proved to be one of his better ideas as whatever enchantment Scanlan had managed to cast on the giant abruptly seemed to break as, with a roar, the bindings Vex had managed to string around him snapped.

As the creatures fist slammed down into Vex’ahlia, Vex felt a snarl build in his throat as he leapt forward in an attempt to bury his knives into the things back. He swore heavily as it reared up, knocking the blades away harmlessly.

Just then, a giant purple hand sprang from nowhere and grappled the giant, attempting to pin it’s massive arms to its sides. To his relief he saw Vex stumble away, bruised but alive, her hand raised to her ear as she summoned the others, before she reached back for one of her arrows.

Bare seconds later, two long shafts of wood were protruding from the giant’s face. Tiny compared to the massive being and only seeming to enrage it further. She paled, backpedaling as quickly as possible and jumped over the club as it made an awkward swing at her.

It’s spin had brought it face to face with him however and as it squinted down at him angrily, Vax felt an oppressive feted presence attempt to enter his consciousness.

Vax jerked back, his gorge rising in his throat again but easily ducked the club that came a second later.

It let out a roar of frustration and swung the the weapon backward. Unfortunately Scanlan was in exactly the wrong place and the weapon struck him full across the chest. The gnome let out a cry of pain as he was knocked flat but one hand remind outstretched, maintaining his magical grip on the thrashing giant. His other hand flew up as well, flinging out an arcane bolt of lightning.

Vax felt his lips curl back in a fierce grin and his focus returned to the now smoking giant. “Oh, fuck you too then.” and leapt forward, springing off the creatures knee and managed to slam one of his knives into one of the thing’s eyes. An awful shriek filled the air as it knocked him off it’s face and he rolled to the ground as two of his sisters arrows flew over his head in rapid succession.

Just then Pike and Tiberius burst out of the treeline with the other right on their heels.

“Don’t kill him!” Scanlan yelled. “He’s our wrecking ball into the palace!”

“I’m a wrecking ball!” Grog’s reply was indignant.

As a watery sphere and glowing lasso appeared out of nowhere and began to enclose the giant, Vax got a better grip on his daggers and let out a sigh of relief.

 

* * *

 

The fight ended with the giant unconscious and chained on the ground. Keyleth, Tiberius, and Clarota were in a huddle near it’s head, discussing ways to play with its brain from the sound of it. Knowing he’d be of little help in a discussion of an arcane nature, Vax found himself combing over the camp. He eyed a pit he had spotted earlier that now revealed itself to be filled with spikes and old bone. Something else glinted near the bottom and he reached into his bag to pull out the coiled length of rope in his bag. Looking around he grimaced, not sure that he trusted the fungus-like trees to take his weight.

Glancing back at the group, he noted Keyleth was now kneeling by the giant, her hands glowing with an odd greenish gold light. Grog had his ax held steadily just under the giant’s chin, eyes flicking back and forth between it and the druid.

“Percy.” he hissed, trying not to interrupt the casting. The gunslinger looked up, eyebrows rising in inquiry. “Could you give me a hand over here?” He gestured towards the hole in the ground.

“Sure, all right.” he sounded relieved to be given something to do.

Over his shoulder, Vex  was shooting them an assessing look from where she stood near Grog, her brow slightly creased. Vax shrugged and returned his attention to the gunslinger

“Um, there’s something down in this hole. Do you think you could hold on to this-”

“Oh, no I’ve got it.” Percy nodded, reaching out and started to help him untangle the rope and before to long Vax found himself being slowly lowered down into the pit.

It was an awkward process but he managed to maneuver his way around the long blade-like spikes and retrieve a surprisingly nice javelin, carved with what looked like gold and bronze. “Alright, pull me up.” he called and a moment later he heard a faint grunt as Percy began the process of hauling him back to the surface.

The weapon was almost immediately set upon by the rest of the party leaving Vax and Percy to exchange a amused looks as Scanlan began trying to offer it to Pike even as Vax held it firmly out of reach until Tiberius could identify it. Eventually it was passed to gleeful looking Grog and they dispersed back to the apparently now charmed giant.

“Well at least they’re happy.” Percy mumbled wryly.

Vax snorted. “Come on. Let’s see what they’ve come up with.”

 

‘What they came up with’ turned out to be one of the most ridiculous plans that Vax has ever _heard_ of, much less helped with. There had been a few instances where it had nearly devolved into a snarling match but luckily everyone made it through without bruises or singe marks to show for it. Tiberius still isn’t particularly happy but seems to recognize the distinct possibility that Vex’ahlia might actually shoot him if he lodges another protest.

It was perhaps for this reason that, when they got to the temple and began to array themselves around the battlefield, Vax found himself unable not to speak. “Can I just say-” he hesitated, feeling everyone’s eyes on him.“Can I just say, I have no idea what’s about to happen. But it’s been a great pleasure to walk beside each and every one of you.”

The sounds of protest from his ridiculous family rise in a barely coherent cacophony until-

“Screw you!” Percy’s voice cracks through the babble like a whip. He’d been standing close to Vax already but now the tall human is directly in his face. “I want my final words with you to be indignant and irritated. We’ll apologize later!”

Vax stares. Percy has never been the most- what was the word? - passionate individual. He’s always been one of the quieter members of Vox Machina. Subdued, baring a dry and occasionally morbid sense of humor. In his more intense moments he’s always reminded Vax a bit of an ice storm. Easy to forget how dangerous it was until it was too late. Now though…

Percy’s cheeks were flushed. The color obvious against his pale skin. His eyes were the same chilly blue they always were but now they glinted fiercely as he stared Vax down. He was a mess, his hair looking more gray then white with the dirt that had accumulated on all of them over the past four days. He’s close enough that Vax can smell the sweat mixing with the now familiar scent of black powder that always seemed to cling to the man. It would be easy to reach out and touch him right now. He could grab for either side of Percy’s ridiculous coat and haul him in. He wondered if Percy’s mouth tasted of the same metal and gun smoke that he always smelled like-

_Wait. What?_

The grin that had spread across Vax’s face at the indignant uproar he had caused froze briefly.

_Well fuck me._

  
Vax is perhaps lucky the he does not get the time to pursue that thought much further. What with a battle with a mad beholder, an admittedly predictable betrayal, _and_ a high stress game of pass the horn of the batshit god of the undead… well, it really doesn’t leave much room to ponder whether or not he possibly might want to shove his tongue down his friend’s throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, this is still going to be a slow burn. But it seemed a little ridiculous (even for these two) for them not to recognize that they're at least attracted to each other.


	6. This is fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vox Machina escapes the underdark and Vax needs a drink or five.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Percy might not have gotten inspiration from that kiss but the rest of us certainly did. Out of curiosity, when did y'all start shipping these two? For me the 'indignant and irritated' line launched this ship for me.  
> As always, I own nothing CR.

(Vax pov)

 

Vax is starting to give serious consideration to the possibility that he is, in fact, a complete idiot. It’s a theory that would go pretty far in explaining most of the day he’s had. He doubts that most sane people would generally think that sliding down a rope into the laboratory of a beholder that was also home to the hive mind of an entire city to be an acceptable gameplan.

Things had gone to hell in a handbasket mere seconds age as the illithids, now restored to the influence of the elder brain with Kvarn’s death, had begun swarming into the temple.

Grog had gone down once already during the fight, giving them all a collective heart attack he suspected, and now he, Pike, Scanlan, and Vax himself were scrambling for either cover or an escape route. 

Vax could feel the icy tendrils of the illithid’s thoughts as they tried to force their way into his mind and he had to grit his his teeth as he pushed them away. He heard cries of pain from Pike and Scanlan, the two gnomes unable to fight back the vile influence. Loud booms echoed around the chamber from the direction he had last seen Keyleth.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the elder brain shudder and jerk as it was struck from above and a pair of thorned arrows sunk into it’s writhing flesh, followed a rapid  _ crack, crack  _ of a pistol being fired.

The relief the bloomed briefly in his chest froze solid as he saw Clarota move towards Scanlan however. The bard’s hands already clutching his head from the mind blasts of the other illithid.

A snarl built in his throat and he rushed forward and attempted to bring both blades down into the elder brain. A wave of force slammed back into one of his daggers, easily deflecting it and Pike shouted something but Vax couldn’t make it out. 

Time seem to stretch into an eternity that could in truth have only lasted a few seconds, but then - abruptly- everything happened at once.

Keyleth slammed into the side of the elder brain’s casing from out of nowhere. There was a loud  _ bang  _ and Clarota was thrown off Scanlan with half his skull missing. The bard immediately started running towards Pike to the accompaniment of Percy shouting, “Traitor! Some people have  _ no _ sense of  _ fucking _ honor!”

Vax followed, making sure to step  _ on _ Clarota as he passed. Pike’s small hands were scrambling desperately at the face of the illithid that had managed to clamp onto her as Vax brought the knife in his right hand down into the back of the thing’s neck and then kept stabbing until it released it’s hold and went down.

Scanlan arrived just as Vax was venting some of his feelings by kicking the damn thing in the general area that it’s knuts should be. He grabbed hold of Pike and in a flash of purple light both of them vanished. Looking around he saw that Grog had slung Kima over his shoulder and was already starting to haul them both up the rope towards the exit. He’d lost sight of Tiberius and Keyleth but across the well where the elder brain floated Percy was quickly reloading his gun on the flying carpet. The human met Vax’s eyes and jerked his head sharply as if to say,  _ the fuck are you waiting for? _

Laughter of a rather manic variety bubbled up in his throat as he abandoned the dead illithid and bolted for the carpet. 

Hysteria, panic, and a general sense of ‘oh maybe we won’t die horribly after all’ might be to blame for what he did next. At least it’s what he chooses to blame it on later.

As he races around the well that holds the elder brain he makes a flying leap for the carpet and half skids into Percy, gasped out laughter still spilling from his lips. Throwing one arm around Percy’s neck he hauled him in he pressed a fierce, desperate kiss into the other man’s cheek. It faintly registered how nice it felt. His skin was soft under a fine layer of stubble that pricked his skin. Drawing away he panted “Let’s get out of here, you bastard!”

Percy blinked, blue eyes a little wider than usual behind their ridiculous gold rimmed glasses. Swallowing he gave a brief nod, handed control of the carpet to Vax, and spun his gun back towards the elder brain.

Vex, Tiberius, Keyleth, and Scanlan had been raining down arrows and spells upon it the whole while and Bad News was quickly added to the mix. 

The brain pulsed with a furious purple energy but held together despite the pieces now being blown off it.

“Gods Damn it!” Percy barked as the recoil of the gun threatened to throw him from the carpet but failed to kill the brain. “Well, it’s never going to forget us in any case.” 

Vax grunted, one hand going to seize the back of Percy’s coat as he flew towards the others. He paled as he saw Vex slumped over a floating but incapacitated Trinket but Keyleth had already leaped to join them on the carpet and flung her hand forward. Vines sprang from the edges of the carpet and coiled tightly around the bear tugging him along behind the as Keyleth hissed “Go! Go, go, go!”

Swallowing his worry, Vax went.

The airborne rush back to the open area of the beach was something he only remembered later as a terrifying blur. At some point Percy had stowed his gun and grabbed hold of the front of the carpet beside Vax to urge it faster. A startled yelp from his sister informed him that she and Trinket had thrown off the mind blast and were back with them. 

They had come down in an awkward skid just as Tiberius had finished casting a portal to get them the hell out of there.

As they all sprint headlong towards the it he can hear Vex swearing and Percy laughing as the dragonborn leaps through first.

Vax is the last one through before Grog, the goliath practically throwing himself through the rapidly closing gateway. He knocks into someone, Keyleth by the feel of it and nearly trips backwards over Grog as his large friend collapses on the floor breathing hard. 

Vax looks around. They were in what appeared to be a small white stone a chamber lit by small lights recessed into the walls. They lack the flicker of normal flame so he infers that they must be of an arcane nature.

Stepping around Tiberius he creeps to the single door that seems to be the only exit. Whatever awaits them, he thinks, surely can’t be worse than a city of illithids.

 

‘Whatever awaits them’, turns out to be an extremely irritable elven gentleman by the name of Xanthis who’s deepest wish mostly consisted of getting paperwork from them and never seeing them again. Something that, personally, Vax would be all too eager to comply with. The end result of which was Vox Machina being kicked out of the building with frosty elven poliness into the streets of the erudite quarter of Emon.

Stumbling out they all looked around at each other in wide eyed silence before suddenly starting to either babble or laugh.

Keyleth had dropped to the ground and seemed to be attempting to hug the earth while Vax found himself now hanging off his sister, the two of them barely holding each other upright.

“Well that could have gone worse.” Percy commented from where he was patting a now snickering Grog on the shoulder.

“Look!” Keyleth suddenly jumped to her feet, practically jumping up and down now. “Look, look look! Stars!” Her hand waving frantically upward.

“Oh, huh.” Even Scanlan was now grinning up at the sky with a slightly dazed expression.

After almost a week underground, the soft silver of  the stars and moon combined with faint fresh breeze of the open air was practically intoxicating.

Grog preceded to fart.

“Grog!” the uproar from the rest of the group and the indignant yelps from the goliath succeeded in breaking the moment, before Percy and Keyleth suggested a pub crawl back to their keep.

“Well we have a lot of bling and a cursed horn,” Vax grinned. “The sky's the limit.”

Pike and Grog cheered at the suggestion of alcohol, and Percy threw back his head with a laugh.

Vax found himself staring.  _ He’s beautiful when he’s like this. _ The thought drifted almost absently through his mind as Vax’s eyes trailed slowly over the sharp lines of the human’s face, softened now in the starlight.  _ Bright and beautiful and deadly as a knife.  _ He remembers what the skin of the man’s cheek had felt like and he wonders if his lips would feel even softer.

Something cold spreads through Vax in that moment and it could not be blamed only on the adrenaline that is slowly leaving his system. 

He’s always known Percy was attractive. Even in the mess of a state Vax had first found him in it had been something that he had commented on. This isn’t anything  _ new,  _ _ _ but the urge to kiss him most certainly _is._

Vax swallows hard and turns away. He barely hears the others as they begin to discus which pubs and taverns would still be open this late. He only becomes vaguely aware of his surroundings when he recognizes the candlelit interior of the Laughing Lamia.

_ It’s nothing,  _ he assures himself as he takes the drink that Scanlan passes to him.  _ So you managed to find yourself a group of absurdly attractive people. It’s not like you’re only just now noticing. _

But… this felt different. An abstract appreciation or a brief platonic crush shouldn’t feel like this. Even now his gaze keeps being drawn to where the man is sat with Vex, letting her lean against him as she gesticulates something at the mildly alarmed looking bartender. He watches as Percy looks down into his drink as he tries to hide the smirk spreading across his face at whatever Vex is saying.

He comes out of his stupor as Grog drapes a fancy robe around Kima’s still petrified stone form and does a pose with her. Shaking himself he takes a heavy gulp of whatever the gnome had passed him. Some dark beer by the taste of it, and surprisingly alcoholic judging from the faint shiver it sends up his spine. 

This is fine. He’s tired and he hasn’t gotten laid since he and Vex had gotten back to Emon weeks ago. So he’s horny and his best friend is bloody pretty. It’s nothing that won’t be fixed by some quality time to himself now that they all actually have their own rooms.

_ It’s fine.  _ He thinks as he takes another swig.  _ This is fine. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys want to come yell with me about Critical Role, I'm @kallistothekrow on tumblr. It's mostly cr, screeching birds, and some artwork (mostly fanart).


	7. Fickle Fate and Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the Briarwoods were in town? How nice...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys. I really wasn't happy with my first attempt at this chapter so I hope I've managed to improve it . It's a bit on the longer side so I hope that makes up for the wait. As a side note, please let me know in the comments if there's a particular scene you're looking forward to in the Vasselheim arc so I don't accidentally blow past it.  
> As ever, none of the characters or setting belong to me.

(Percy)

It’s ironic Percy muses, as they make their way through Emon’s Cloudtop district on their way to the palace, that of all the de Rolo children, he had been the one who’d shown the least interest in politics. Vesper, Whitney, and Oliver had even actively enjoyed the game of it. Percy had never seen the appeal. He had been lucky in being third in line, and unlikely to inherit the seat of Whitestone, that this didn’t really matter. He had just wanted to be left alone with his books and his studies.

Now, here he was, stepping to the front alongside the twins to speak as a member Vox Machina and the council of Emon. He could picture his mother’s proud but incredulous face now. Her expression would have changed to horror, no doubt, if she had known that that their first foray into Emon’s higher sector had been facilitated by a certain member of the party’s skills with forgery.

Allura and Kima were comforting presences in the hall at least. Percy trusted that the Archanist and the Paladin at least understood the gravity of the situation and would lend weight to their concerns.

Even so, he was all too aware of Keyleth’s barely hidden mistrust and the sharp searching glances that Vax had eyed the two women with when they had explained their circumstances earlier that morning in Allura’s tower.

Though the latter seemed to Percy to be less a matter of true mistrust and more to do with the masks the always seemed to drop over the twins faces in the presence of nobles, especially if they were elves.

Percy frowns as he sees it now as their gazes fell upon Lord Daxio, the elven master of trade.The man had been good to them for most part, even helping them establish Grayskull when they were still relative outsiders to the city. He can see the tension in the proud lift to Vex’ahlia’s chin and hears it in the almost uncaring note her voice took on. He saw it in the way Vax’ildan’s spine would straighten and the chilly, reserved look the would fall across his face that made the resemblance to his father all the more evident.

None of these were things he would ever dare say to either of them, especially that later. There were times however that those they made him want to find Syldor Vessar and demand to know exactly what he’d done to his two eldest children. If the ambassador knew why they balked upon being referred to as children of Syngorn, or even as elves. If he knew the reason for his daughter’s veiled shame or his son’s silent rage.

Percy lets out a breath and turns away to scan the rest of the council. Asum, the sharp eyed  tattooed spymaster is one one of the friendlier faces, especially compared  to the female Dragonborn currently engaged in a chilly growled out exchange with Tiberius. Her silver scales rustled haughtily as the sorcerer’s lips curl back over his teeth. Asum moves forward quickly to introduce himself and hastily break up the pair and they were gestured to their seats.

Percy’s attention is caught by a clerk standing deferentially at the emperor’s elbow. Sovereign Uriel gives a brief nod to the man and hands over a slim stack of papers. “Get these to Lady and Lord Briarwood as soon as possible, thank you.”

 

Something cold had flooded Percy’s veins. A numbness that spread from his limbs until it reached his chest. Abruptly he slid himself a far back in his chair as he could as Uriel began to speak, earning himself a brief puzzled look from Pike. Her blue eyes flickered between him and the emperor and she seemed to barley stop herself from saying something.

Percy hardly saw her. Some part of his brain was still aware of Uriel and and Vax’s voices and the explanation of their unexpected arrival in the city but it was a background buzz compared to icy torrent that was sweeping it’s way through his head.

It had been almost three years since he had last heard those names spoken. He had read them over and over again, traced the lines of them with his fingers countless times, and yet some part of him had almost begun to think that he would never hear those names pass another person's lips for years to come. For all that he has searched for some sign or recognition of the name over the years, for some reason he had not expected to to come back to him while he was still with Vox Machina. Pike had her goddess, Keyleth her people, they all surely had things that would eventually lead them away from the group. Away from him and what awaited him and his guns at the end of this path he had set himself on.

He could see their faces now; Delilah with her dark red hair and keenly intelligent eyes, Silas with his sharp elegant features. At times he can see them more clearly then he can see the faces of his parents. And he hears a voice in his ear. A woman’s voice, not Delilah’s. Faintly accented. Patient and probing as she slides a blade just under his skin.

Bile rises in his throat _and he can’t do this here_ . He can’t break down now. Not in front of the council and not in front his family. A thousand questions whirl in his head and choke him. Things he _cannot_ ask here.

With some effort he manages to drag his focus back to the conversation at hand as Vax began to describe the illithid city. Later. He will have to deal with this later. All he can do is hope that if the sovereign really is involved with the Briarwoods, he has not mentioned a group of unusual adventurers, or a young man with a very familiar name.

 

A while later the meeting was adjourned, with the agreement that Vox Machina would be allowed to help escort the horn of Orcus from the city as soon as possible. Percy hesitated at the table and attempted to catch Sovereign Uriel’s eye before hastily stepping forward as the man made to leave.

“Good Sovereign, if I can have a moment?” He was sure his voice cracked slightly as he spoke but nonetheless Uriel paused and gave him a polite look of inquiry. “Did I hear correctly that uh, Lord and Lady Briarwood where in town?”

“They were, but a week ago.” the sovereign replied, raising an eyebrow.

“They were but a week ago,” Percy repeated, trying desperately to conceal the fact that his heart seemed to be rising up his throat. “And they’ve left, have they?”

“Oh yes,” he said. “Yes. Do you know of Lord and Lady Briarwood?”

“Just in passing.” Percy managed. He couldn’t seem to get a good read on whether the man’s question was idle curiosity or something more pointed. “Did they have business in town? Was there something in particular…  I’m just curious. It doesn’t _really_ matter… I mean,” _Damn it Percival, stop babbling._ “It _does_ matter but not particularly.”

Luckily Uriel seemed relatively unbothered, or at least very good at hiding it if he was. “It was relatively routine. We’re establishing an official trade route through the northeast. Spanning the Boreal Plane to Whitestone.”

“Oh,” Percy croaked, trying not to respond to the mention of his home.

“Yes,” the sovereign continued. “They inherited the region after the unfortunate demise of the de Rolo family.”

 _‘Inherited’,_ Percy thought. _Yes I suppose that’s one word for it._

“However our ambassador has noted that they’ve rebuilt rather well and honored the memory of the family and they’re committed to  reestablishing the foothold of Whitestone in the north. So they came here on a diplomatic mission to open trade.”

The words were washing over him in icy waves. Closing his throat like the waters of that river had so long ago, the image of his little sister’s body still burning behind his eyes as he drowned.

“Oh,” he whispered. “That’s nice.”

 

* * *

 

 

As they are escorted out of the palace a few minutes later Percy doesn’t have to look around to know the the eyes of every member of Vox Machina are fixed on him. Luckily, no one says a word until the guards bow them out and close the tall doors behind them. Tiberius places a scaled hand on his shoulder in a encouraging manner and he hears Keyleth’s sharp in-drawn breath beside him and he braces himself.

“Percy-”

“I’m fine.” he interrupts, almost as soon as his name is out of her mouth. It’s rude, he knows, but his mind his still spinning and he doubts his coherence if he were to try to explain anything now. Where would he even start?

“You’re sweating.” Keyleth states flatly.

“I know.”

“Are you okay?” Pike was at his elbow, her blue eyes concerned.

“Why are you sweating?”

“It’s hot.” He couldn’t meet either of their gazes.

“What _happened_?” Keyleth’s hands were clasped nervously in front of her but she showed no sign of letting up.

Something warm and fond twisted in his chest at their obvious concern but his eyes flick up to glance at Kima and Allura, who are casting uncertain looks in their direction. “Nothing.” he lies. “The sun comes up and it gets very hot. I’ll- tell you later.”

Tiberius nudges Keyleth and gives Percy a slight nod. “Very good.”

Percy lets out a sigh of relief and steps away from the three of them only to catch Vax’s gaze. The half-elf’s head is tilted to one side in that way he does when he’s studying a particularly finely crafted lock. He seems to be restraining himself despite his curiosity but Percy knows that expression well enough by now to know Vax will drag an answer out of him eventually. In the unlikely event that the rest of their family doesn’t do it first, of course.

“This is a discussion for later.” Percy states. “There’s… more important things…”

The others are distracted as Allura and Kima begin to make their farewells but not before Vax shoots him a rather pointed look that informs his that he is indeed going to be held to that.

Percy looks away. He wonders what else this day intends to throw at him.

 

* * *

 

 

The suggestion to visit Gilmore’s was nominally his and Pike’s but was met with such instant and overlapping enthusiasm that it hardly mattered. Or possibly it was that when Keyleth began talking about historical tours and pamphlets, the entire group fairly bolted for Abedar’s Promenade, where the shop was located. They had learned the hard way that the druid could spend the whole day this way and while personally Percy had found a few of the places interesting he had began deeply regretting his life choices about three hours in.

Gilmore’s Glorious Goods was a single story structure that more than made up for it apparently modest size in it’s extravagance. The building was draped in deep blue and purple fabrics interspersed with a riot of colors that was an almost physical assault on the senses. Percy couldn’t help but adore the place.

The equally colorful beaded curtain that took the place of a door was pushed aside to reveal an interior that was much larger than the exterior of the place would suggest. It was a commonality among mages that he wasn’t sure if he found delightful or offensive, that their architecture rarely made any sort of sense. His opinion usually had a lot to do with whether they were running for their lives through the place or not.

A series of smirks later and Vax was unceremoniously pushed to the front of the group. The amused half-elf rolled his eyes slightly at the rest of them but submitted to the encouraging shoulder massage that Keyleth seemed to be giving him.

“Start looking around and shopping,” Vax waved vaughly around the shop. “Just don’t pay for anything yet, because… I have an arrangement.”

Pike snickered and Vex smirked while digging through the bag of holding that was being carried by a mournful looking Grog.

“An arrangement?” Percy couldn't quite hold back the teasing tone as he glanced sideways at the half-elf.

Vax flushed slightly, then abruptly turned away and began navigating his way through the rows of shelves to the front desk.

Percy glanced at Keyleth questioningly and she shrugged. He supposes they _had_ been laying it on a bit thick. Though to be fair, Vax has never been exactly subtle in his flirtations in all the time Percy has known him.

Before he can ponder his friend’s discomfort any further the curtain leading to some deeper portion of the shop is swept aside with a flourish, revealing a portly but handsome gentleman with long black hair and robes that complimented his shop. Warm eyes widen and the smile across his face falls into something less showy and more genuine as he proceeds to lift the half-elf off his feet in an embrace that has Vax laughing. Shaun Gilmore had arrived.

Within moments they are all waved into a semicircle as Gilmore begins regaling them with news of the expansion of is business. A half-elven employee that Percy doesn’t recognize hovers nearby with an expression of mingled curiosity and apprehension on her face. It’s clear that this isn’t quite the welcome that most of the clientele here are usually treated to.

“ -friends probably want to shop about. My sister can probably handle things for me. I would love to take a stroll with you around the city. Get a bit of lunch, and hear what’s been happening.”

Percy’s gaze is drawn back to the conversation at hand and shares a look with Vex who wiggles her eyebrows.

Meanwhile Gilmore is visibly preening across the counter from them as he waves over the woman Percy had noticed earlier, introducing her as Sherri. She greets them with considerably less enthusiasm then her employer as Gilmore instructs her to make sure they’re taken care of while he’s out. Vax leans over to mutter something to his twin before linking and arm with the other man as they step out of the shop.

Something prickles at the back of Percy’s mind. It had occurred to him before that eventually Vox Machina would mostly likely separate to pursue their own lives. It was only logical that eight such different people with such different expectations could hardly be expected to devote themselves permanently to the lifestyle they currently found themselves in together. He knew that eventually Keyleth would be expected to continue her education with her fellow tribes, that Tiberius would eventually wish to return home to Draconia and his studies. It wasn’t difficult to infer that Pike would either want to return to her family or devote herself more completely to Serenre and that she would most likely be followed by Grog and possibly Scanlan.

The twins were different though. For some reason he had never really considered what the two of them would do if they left. Perhaps because, like him, they had no home they wished to return to. For them, their mother’s village was burned and their father’s home frigid and unwelcoming. And while Whitestone apparently still stood, with his family dead it seemed as cold and remote as one of Exandria’s moons. Filled only with blood, and rage, and in all likelihood his own death.

But they had each other though, didn’t they. He thought about the ease with which Vax could slip into a life here in Emon with Gilmore and he remembered the satisfaction Vex had taken in setting up their keep. He could see the two of them settling into lives here almost too easily. It was a future he would have no place in. There would be no more of the easy banter he has shared with them both. No more of the softness at night when neither he or Vax could sleep. The image sent a pang through his chest and he immediately shoved the feeling down.

He had accepted the path he had set himself on years ago when he had begun the construction of his first gun. He was not so selfish as to think that he could drag the people he had come to care for so much into the bloody and vengeful mess he would inevitably find himself in. Perhaps sooner rather then later now that he was in a position to come face to face with the Briarwoods. He wouldn’t do that to them. Would he?

He imagined Vex’ahlia, her limbs bent at unnatural angles at the bottom of a set of stairs like the servant girl he’s seen just before a ringing pain had struck the back of his head. Scanlan, his tiny body surrounded in a pool of his own blood, Vax-

Percy bit down hard on his own tongue, the sharp pain momentarily breaking him out of his revary. He couldn’t do this now. Vox Machina had too much riding on them for him to bring them into another mess. Especially one for his sake alone. In any case, there was nothing he could do about the Briarwoods until they returned from escorting the horn to wherever Kima and her fellow Paladins decided to lock it away. Until then he would do what he’d always tried to do: watch their back, keep them safe.

He finds himself glancing back at the doorway Vax and Gilmore had just exited through. He could do that for a while longer.


	8. Qualms and Questioning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's trying guys. Really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really didn't expect there to be a chapter between the Briarwood reveal and the skyship but here you go. I felt like I needed to handle something of Vax's relationships with Gilmore and Keyleth before moving anything else forward. I didn't want to brush over it so I hope I've managed to do it respectfully.  
> For those of you fallowing it, I going to try to alternate between this fic and Scar Tissue. Thank you so much to everyone who has left comments on this fic. You guys are amazing.

(Vax)

“Stop that.”

Vax glances up from fiddling with with the grip of his new dagger. It wasn’t necessarily a  _ pretty  _ weapon but the cutout in the center makes for an interesting design and Sherri had assured him that the blade would make for an unpleasant surprise for any unwary adversary.

Just to be an ass, Vax flips the blade into the air before catching it and rolling it across his knuckles and shooting his sister an innocent look. “Stop what?”

It was late in the evening at Grayskull keep and most of Vox Machina were huddled around various tables as dinner was slowly cleared away. He and Vex had been left alone at the far corner table after Pike had wandered off to find hot water for a bath. Vex was currently leveling a narrow eyed look at him.

“If you lose a finger because you’re still tipsy, I’m not gonna be the one explaining it to Pike.”

“I am not.” It was true as well. He had largely sobered up after returning to the shop after drinking with Shaun and food had served to sop up the rest.

The corner of his sister’s mouth turned up in a slightly teasing smile. “You must not have had as much as I thought then. I saw the label on one of those bottles. Gilmore knows the good stuff.”

“Yeah,” Vax hesitated. He wasn’t sure what else to say, the taste of mead suddenly lingering on his tongue for the first time in a while.

“What?” Vex was frowning at him now. “It seemed to have gone alright when you two got back. Did he say something to you?”

Vax chuckled at her suddenly protective tone. “No- well… no. It was fine. He took me out to that garden district and we talked about the shop he’s opening in Westrun. I just- when we were talking about elven wine he asked me if I missed it. Syngorn I mean. I just wonder if I should have explained.”

Vex pressed her lips together, staring down that the wood of the table. “Do you _ want _ to tell him about it? He hasn’t exactly talked to us about what he did before he was a businessman. Unless the two of you…”

“No. We haven’t but…” Vax found himself fiddling with the dagger again, tracing the deep red lines worked into the handle. “We come into town, we buy from his store and the two of us flirt a bit, and then we’re gone again for weeks at a time. That doesn’t seem fair.”

“For you or for him?”

“Both.” He looks up at his twin. “Am I being stupid?”

Her face had softened a bit but her mouth had twisted into a pensive angle. “Are you… thinking of staying?”

“No.” Vax felt  _ himself _ flinch a little at the immediacy of his answer. He supposes that answers his own question to some degree. “I know what I’d choose if-” He breaks off uncomfortably, aware of the others in the room. Nearby, but at least doing them the courtesy of ignoring their quiet conversation. Though that may be do to the rest of them seeming to be absorbed in the entertainment of Tiberius attempting to wheedle a magic item out of Scanlan. 

“We just got this,” he gestures as subtly as he could, trying to encompass in to movement the cluster of their friends and the castle in general. “I can’t really imagine giving this up. I know that’s not something he’d ask for but I think  _ I  _ might feel like I would be? I don’t know if that even makes sense.”

“If you think-”

Vex is interrupted by Keyleth as the druid slumps down into the chair between them, her long red hair framing her face in the absence of her usual antlered crown. “Have you-” she breaks off as her eyes flicker between them, only now taking in the slight tension at the table. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Vax gestures a bit too expensively perhaps for her to continue. He can feel the look his twin is shooting his way but he deliberately keeps his eyes on Keyleth. His love life is not something he really wants brought up in front of the druid. It had been mortifying enough hearing her tease him when they’d met Shaun back when he’d had something of a crush on her. Somewhere between Pike’s death and Vox Machina’s return to Grayskull his attraction had shifted to something closer to kinship. He still loved her of course, though he thinks their friendship has grown more quickly then it would have if he had pursued something romantic with her. Just another reason why it was probably such a bad idea to think about-

“-Percy?”

Vax jumped. “What?”  

Keyleth gave him an odd look. “Percy. Have either of you seen him since we got back?” She glances down, frowning. “I think he’s been avoiding everyone since that thing with Uriel.”

“I believe he went downstairs, darling.” Vex’s voice is deliberately casual. “He’s not had a chance to decompress down their since we got back. He’s probably barricaded himself in his workshop.”

“I can go check, if you’re worried.” The words are out before Vax can stop himself.

Keyleth looks hopeful while his sister has her head cocked to one side as she studies him. There’s something playing around the corner of her mouth that is not quite a smirk. It’s irritating how well she reads him at times. 

“Could you?” If he’s not ready to talk,” Keyleth pauses. “At least let him know that we’re here when he is?”

Vax nodded, meeting her emerald gaze. “I’ll make sure he knows.”

 

* * *

 

Standing before the metal door that lead to the gunslinger’s workshop Vax found himself hesitating. He wondered if he was really the right person to try to talk Percy out of whatever dark funk he had fallen into. Keyleth might have been better, or Vex. Vex was smarter than him, less likely to say something stupid to the human, and she knew him. Their minds worked in a similar way. 

_ Forget it _ , he thought. He wasn’t going to let his own insecurities get in the way of helping his friend. Because no matter what other complicated feeling he was having for the man at the moment, he was still his friend.

Before he could change his mind Vax reaches out to give a quick sharp rap to the door before lowering his palm to the handle and waiting. A brief pause and then.

“Come in?”

Vax felt his mouth twitch up into a smile despite his nerves as he opened the door and stuck his head in. “You don’t sound very sure about that. I could come back in ten minutes after you’ve had a think if you like?”

Percy’s workshop was not a small room, but the various tables and cabinets lining three of the four walls shrunk it down around a central table in the middle over which the man himself was currently hunched. Percy didn’t look as if he was had been planning an overnight at the forge at least. Though his shirt sleeves were rolled up he still wore one of his nice waistcoats from their trip to the palace this morning. It was a dark gray one Vax noted, with a pretty pattern of soft green vines, a slight departure from the man’s usual blues and golds. The tinkerer was currently eyeing Vax from across his central desk over a spread of papers. Pens and charcoal were laid out neatly to one side along with a set of familiar leatherbound notebooks. Travel stained things that were usually packed away at the bottom of Percy’s bags and brought out in the evenings. Ostensibly they were strictly for his notes and observations on his own inventions but Vax had spent enough watches alone with the man to know that they also contained a series of rather good sketches of their family and friends. He wonders absently if Percy had one of him tucked away in there. The thought sends an odd warm feeling through his stomach that he’s not sure he’s ready look at too closely.

Percy snorted inelegantly. “If you’re going to be stalking me, I’d rather you do it where I can see you.”

Shutting the door with his heel he strolled as casually as he could around the table to join him. “Stalking? I would hardly call it that if you know so much about it.” He paused as he glanced down to look at what looked like schematics spread across Percy’s workspace. Reaching out he touches the papers lightly, trying not to disturb anything. Most of them are primarily made up of calculations that Vax can make neither heads nor tails of and off to one side is something that appears to be an outline of an arm wrapped in either string or wire. “Something new?”

Percy shrugs. “An idea anyway. Without a catalyst I’m not sure it would even work without some outside help and-“ he gestures vaguely at a small stack of arrows that Vax hadn’t noticed at first. “I still need to finish these for your sister.”

“Aww, so she  _ is  _ your favorite.” Vax pressed a hand to his chest in mock hurt. “I should have known. You never make  _ me  _ nice things.”

Percy raises an eyebrow. “Most of what you’d consider ‘nice things’ aren't really my specialty. But if you’re really feeling that neglected, I could certainly give it a try.”

Vax blinks, not expecting the honesty behind the dry tone. “No need to trouble yourself.”

Percy shakes his head and looks over at him, giving him a smile that is somehow both sincere and a little bitter. “You’re not down here to ask me about my work.”

There was a joking remark on the tip of Vax’s tongue but something in Percy’s expression curdled it in his mouth like sour milk. There was something of the boy Vax had found chained in the cellar all those months ago in his gaze and it almost made Vax wish he could let the whole thing go. Almost.

“Briarwood.”

Percy’s face is unnaturally still. A true poker face that Vax can only see though because he had known to spare a glance at the man’s hands. The fingertips rubbed together in an anxious way that was one few tells that Percy really had. 

“I thought at first that I’d heard that name before but I was wrong.” Ice blue eyes bore into Vax but the human made no move to interrupt. “I have  _ seen  _ them before though.”

When Percy finally moves it’s almost a full body flinch, like the half-elf had unexpectedly brandished something at him and he lowers his gaze. Vax simply waits.

After a moment Percy rubs a hand across his temples and stands briefly, reaching across the table to the far corner. Moving aside a piece of what looks like some scrap leather he reveals the smaller of his two guns, the older of the two as well. Vax watches as Percy’s finger moves across something that makes the barrel spin. There is familiar writing along each of them that he’s only caught glimpses of before. Percy stops abruptly, brow furrowed, mouth tightening into a hard line for a few seconds before setting it back on the table and, after another brief hesitation, slides it towards Vax. 

Vax feels his own eyes widen a little and he shoots his friend a startled look. Percy has  _ never  _ let anyone touch guns and none of them had ever been stupid enough to try. The man has always been protective of the things he made and rarely let anyone but Vox Machina get too close. 

The bench Percy is sitting on is just about long enough for two people so Vax moves to sit carefully beside him and reaches out a hand slowly for the weapon.

“It isn’t loaded, if you’re worried.” Percy’s voice is too neutral to not be affected. 

Vax doesn’t answer. His hands slip over the grip, fingers barely feeling the grain in the dark wood before they find smooth metal.

He finds the words where he expects them. Carved into the barrel with a familiar, precise hand.  _ Lord Briarwood. Lady Briarwood. _

There are other names carved into the gun but Vax ignores them for now. He can sense that he’s already trampling farther into Percy’s privacy then he has before and he’s not sure how much further he wants to tread into this particular minefield.

Carefully, deliberately, he slides the pepperbox back across the table. Neither of them move at first as Vax threads his thoughts together. “Uriel said that they inherited land from the de Rolo family.”

Something that could only loosely be described as a laugh breaks from Percy’s throat. “I suppose you could say that. In much the same way you could say we ‘inherited’ that headpiece from Clarota.”

Vax swallowed. “It was your family, wasn’t it? It was your land that he was talking about.”

“Yes.” The word is barely a breath. Retrieving the gun, Percy cradles it in his hands, fingers running restlessly over the names, clicking it to a third name  _ Professor Anders. _ “You know, I don’t think I’ve spoken about this, to  _ anyone _ .”

Vax reaches an arm around Percy’s shoulder, gripping firmly but gently. He can feel the the muscles in the man’s back tense and then relax slowly under the touch.

“If you found-” Percy’s voice is slightly hoarse. “Vax, if you found the dragon who who burned your village, who-” his blue eyes seek out the rouges own now. “What would you do?”

Something is burning low in Vax’ildan’s gut. An old anger, an old pain stirring to mix with the open wound he can see now bleeding in his friend’s eyes. He needs to say something before he does something stupid and act on the conflagration of emotions filling his mind. 

It had not been hard to figure out that Percy had come from money. That he probably had a family and a title somewhere in his past. The fact that Vox Machina had found him in the state that they did made it almost inevitable that there was a story there. Whether that was an estrangement like with his and Vex’s own father or… this. 

He tugs at Percy’s shoulder until he can press his forehead to the human’s. Percy let out a breath of surprise but goes with the movement willingly. “I don’t know, Percival. I don’t know what I would do. But what I do know that we’ve survived dragons before and we’ve survived fucking beholders with god complexes. Whatever this is, I would trust you to have my back. I hope you know that goes both ways.”

Percy turns to press his face into Vax’s shoulder and he has to stifle the urge to reach up to smooth his hair or press his lips into it. He closes his eyes, and silently prays that the promise he’d just made was one he could keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there is a particular scene that you want me to cover in this fic, please let me know in the comments or come talk to me on tumblr at kallistothekrow.


	9. Scalebearers and Skyships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy and Scanlan wanted to have a chat apparently, also skyships.

(Percy)

Percy had never been on an airship before. He had only ever seen them from a distance when they had first arrived in Emon. Those glimpses had not prepared him for the gracefulness that was the airship Deera up close. The design of it and the elegant gold scrollwork that curved over it’s prow reminded him of Elven construction he had studied in Whitestone. In general form it was reminiscent of a normal ship, though certainly larger than the fishing boats Percy was familiar with. The enormous blue crystals held aloft on various points on the vessel were the most obvious tell of the craft’s arcane nature. Percy found himself entranced.

His attention was only drawn back as a blur of red hair whipped across his vision as Keyleth streaked past him to lean eagerly out over the edge of the the platform and look down.

“Umm… You really shouldn’t do-” the Captain who had only moments ago introduced himself as Damon glanced back nervously at the rest of them. “She shouldn't do that.” he said imploringly, as if they might have any sort of control over what the redheaded druid decided to do. 

Percy bit back a slight smirk but took a little pity on the man. “It’s alright. She can fly.” 

At which point Grog raced over to join the half-elf in her glee and he promptly gave up. There was really nothing he could say that would assure the man that he was in fact transporting sane individuals.

As the poor captain hurried to the railing. Percy drifted back to walk beside Scanlan as the rest of them made their way towards the ship. 

“You  _ have  _ flown before. You remember that, right?” Vax called over his shoulder as they reached the gangplank.

“I know, but I’m always an animal!” Keyleth replied, who it seemed had convinced Grog to dangle her over the edge by the back of her shirt. 

They were interrupted by a long shrill shriek. Looking around Percy saw captain Damon, his handsome face set with a small brass colored whistle held in one hand. “All aboard,” he called pointedly.

Vex’ahlia was eyeing the man with a speculative expression. Percy pressed his lips together to hide his smile and glanced to Scanlan by his side. 

“You might need to find a new partner in seduction,” he commented remembering the bits of conversation he had heard between the two of them earlier in reference to the two Scalebearers they had met that morning. The pair had arrived from Vasselheim the night before but they had only met them an hour earlier in the council chamber with Kima. They were a solemn duo in matched armor of silver and blue with the insignia of the Platinum Dragon inlaid into their breastplates.   

The gnome snorted in reply. “More for me I suppose. Unless you’re volunteering?” Scanlan wiggled his eyebrows in a slightly lecherous manner.

Percy rolled his eyes. “I’m afraid they’re not my type.”

“Good to know you  _ have _ a type.”

Percy began to answer but paused as they stepped aboard the ship. An odd sound had met his ears. It reminded him of the noise ice makes as it moves. A high grinding shriek that was just at the edge of perception. He looked around, frowning.“The gems?” he asked.

Scanlan had tilted his head to listen too. “I think so. High level transmutation magic anyway.”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “You can just tell that?”

The gnome shrugged. “Most spells have a sound, at least to me. I once met a sorcerer who said she could see certain spells in colors.” Scanlan gave a wistful sigh. “But yeah, someone had to poor a lot into those guys for a non-bard to actually hear it.”

“I see.”

They pressed back towards the stern of the ship to get out of the crew’s way. The deck becoming more crowded as the final preparations were made for take off and the blue gems around the ship flared brighter, the sound becoming a lower and more constant hum.

Everyone but the Scalebearers ignored Captain Damon’s suggestion that they move below and half of them moved to line edges to watch as they begin to ascend slowly upward until they were far above Emon.  The twins remained near the mast with a somewhat alarmed Trinket.

“I can see our Keep from here.” Scanlan commented and he heard Keyleth laugh. 

Looking out, Percy could already make out the wide expanse of the Ozmit Sea stretching out ahead of them. And somewhere beyond that was the city of Vasselheim and Vox Machina’s next destination.

 

* * *

 

Percy is not sure when it was decided that his and Vax’s room was designated the ship’s study but apparently it was early on. He supposed  he couldn’t complain, although some days consisted of himself, Vax, Keyleth and Scanlan cramming into one small cabin. Vax technically didn’t need to be there most of the time but he mostly hung around to provide moral support and eye candy. At least according to the rogue.

He rather suspected the half-elf’s curiosity came more into play. Although the man usually insisted that he had been a horrible student and that Vex had been the smart one, Vax could be razor sharp when he was paying attention. Quick to pick up on the random odds and ends and spell ingredients that the other three needed over the next few days.

As a result of this close proximity, Percy began to pick up on all sorts of habits he hadn’t noticed in his friends before. Keyleth was studious with her bookkeeping despite the usually instinctive quality her spellcasting usually displayed. She had a tendency to chew on the end of her pens and it was one of the few times that she didn’t bother with her horned crown. Instead, Vax had passed the time by braiding her long red hair into increasingly complicated updos. Though Percy’s favorite remained the pigtails he’s put her in on their first day. Her free hand played with the ends of the braids as she carefully transcribed spell scrolls for Vex and Tiberius to use later.

Scanlan was a surprise to Percy. The bard was quiet when not making himself the center of attention. Occasionally offering a comment to Keyleth as he silently mouthed the words of a new spell he was working on. He’d gotten a few looks in Scanlan’s spellbook. It seemed to be written in a jumbled mess of common, gnomish, and a mix of arcane glyphs and musical notes that nonetheless seemed to make sense to the bard.

He’d admitted to Percy during the third day while Keyleth and Vax were out, that part of the commandeering of the room had to do with the gnome still being somewhat irritated with their dragonborn companion.

“If he hadn’t just fucked off for half the fight-” the gnome muttered for the third time, digging the pen a bit deeper into his current page a but harder then strictly necessary

“He did get the killing blow though,” Percy said idly without looking up.

“So if I abandon you all and come in at the last minute and take the last shot, I get all the credit? Don’t tell me you’re siding with him!”

“No really,” he replied. “I just like being contrary. And this conversation is starting to feel a bit circular to be honest.”

“Fine,” Scanlan grumbled. “What do you want to talk about then?”

Percy paused briefly, thinking. “Is there a bet going on that I don’t know about?”

“How do you mean?”

“Something to do with how many of you can umm… kiss me perhaps?”

That got Scanlan’s attention. A slow grin started to spread over his face. “There’s not, but now that you bring it  up-”

Percy thew a pen at the bard. Scanlan ducked.

“I knew Vax and I have planted one on you,” the gnome sniggered. “Who was the lucky bugger this time?”

Percy, who was starting to feel distinctly hot in the face, grunted, “Vex.”

“Got both the twins!” crowed Scanlan. 

“I haven’t got- I just. Vex was just happy I finished her arrows- and you and Vax-” Percy finally got hold of himself enough to stop spluttering. “I’m going to regret telling you this, aren't I?”

“Probably,” said Scanlan. 

There was a brief pause before: “So, was it with or without tongue?”

About two crowded minutes later the door to the cabin swung open to reveal an overly pleased looking half-elf. 

“What about a rocket pack for the bear?” Vax stopped and stared down with a raised eyebrow at the sight of Percy and Scanlan rolling around on the floor. The gunslinger apparently trying to beat the other man to death with a pillow.

“I’m working on it,” Percy called over his shoulder. “I’m working on- oof!”

He was cut off as the the gnome managed to kick the back of Percy knee and they both went back down.

“Glad to see the two of you are getting along,” Vax said dryly before reaching down to drag Percy off their bard.

At that moment a the entire ship gave a shudder and then jolted abruptly sideways. Percy, Scanlan, Vax, and most of their belonging went flying. Percy felt something jam hard into the small of his back as the wind was knocked out of his lungs. For a few seconds he lay there unable to move or even breath before he finally inhaled on a horse wheeze. He heard Vax swearing heavily and raised his head to look around. The half-elf was sat up with one hand raised to wipe at the blood running down his chin from a busted lip. Scanlan groaned, crawling out from under the table, one sleeve stained from were the inkwell had spilled over him. Above them there was the sound of shouting.

“The hell was that?” Scanlan asked.

Percy shook his head and started dragging himself across the floor to find his guns.

“You know, I’m so glad we got to have a nice relaxing trip for once.” Vax mumbled. “It’s such a nice change.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was not expecting the chat with Scanlan but Vox Machina does what they want.   
> As always the comments have been amazing. Please let me know if there is a specific scene in this arc that you are looking forward to seeing. Next up should be their arrival in Vasselheim and all the shenanigans involved with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Full disclosure here. I'm a little uncertain about the direction I want to go with this fic. It's either going to be a series of one-shots within the same universe, or a canon re-write MONSTER spanning at least into the Briarwood and Conclave arcs. Either way, heads up for slooooow burn guys. Our goth birds are dumbasses.  
> Constructive criticism is welcome and I'm open to suggestions about the narrative and character voices.


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